For Lubbock County Sheriff’s Deputy Chamayne Johnson (or “Bear” to his friends and family), helping others is not only instinct, but it’s something he’s always loved to do. 

Thursday, September 21 marked 12 years for Johnson with the department, who also serves as sergeant over the Lubbock County Detention Center. He celebrated the anniversary by working his usual 12-hour shift, while also spending some time at Nat Williams Elementary School to revisit with a friend he had recently made. 

On September 9, nine-year-old Lucas White was making his way back home from a friend’s house. The brakes on his bike broke, so instead of riding, he walked his bike, while also pulling a red wagon filled with other toys. Overwhelmed by the heavy load, he tripped, and scraped himself up. He had been lugging the load for five blocks, and was only one street shy of his house.

Deputy Johnson happened to be driving home after work, and spotted Lucas on the  ground. 

“I was talking to my wife on the phone as usual to let her know how my day was going before I made it home, and then I see Luke and was like ‘yeah, I got to help him,'” said Johnson, who helped the boy get cleaned up and had him call his mom to see if he would like him to give Lucas a ride home.

“So, I packed up his things in the back of my truck, and I took him home where his mom was outside waiting for us.”

This was the fourth-grader’s first one-on-one interaction with someone in local law enforcement. He admitted that he was at first a little nervous, but then quickly realized he was being well taken care of.

“It feels awesome, I don’t know, it’s just never happened before. It’s new, it’s cool. I can say it’s awesome,” said Lucas. 

“When Luke pulled up I could tell that he had no fear, he was completely relaxed. They seemed like they had been friends for a long time, for that one block journey that they had together,” said Tara White, Lucas’ mother. “It’s nice to know we have leaders in our community who are looking out for our kids, who are watching our streets.”

She captured the sweet moment by snapping a picture, and then took to Facebook to try and find Johnson’s family members to thank them. White said she felt grateful to him for his kindness, but apparently was not the only one. 

Since Monday, the picture she posted of the two of them has received more than 3,000 likes and nearly 700 shares. 

“I literally thought it would get about 100 likes, I was just really wanting to help find Bear’s family, I had no idea it would get to where it is now,” said White. “It was all just very positive. I think people were just craving the kindness and love they got to see in that moment for them.”

For Johnson, he says this is just one part of his job that he considers and honor to get to do. As a result, a new friendship was formed between a sheriff’s deputy and a fourth-grader. 

“I enjoy helping people, and I got the opportunity to meet him and help him. It felt good to me,” said Johnson.